What if?
by A Sky of Blazing Stars
Summary: A book filled with chapters from the Warriors world by Erin Hunter. This book contains what could've happened if different cats handled different scenarios differently, and how their destinies and futures would unravel and fall apart or be strengthened and bonded. Requests for different situations of what could've happened in Warriors are very welcomed, and feedback is appreciated.
1. What If?: CrowfeatherXLeafpool

**A.N.: Hey guys.**

 **This is one of the new books that I am going to publish. It's a book full of one-shots about what could've happened to certain cats in the Warriors series.**

 **Help would be greatly appreciated, and requests for new chapters in scenarios that different things that could've happened in the stories and super editions.**

 **Today, we'll start off with a classic situation with Leafpool and Crowfeather. This is the scene that they would chose to run away or stay with their Clans. This story can have two parts to it, one, where they stay in the Clans and not leave for beyond the moors in their forbidden love, and the other side is that Leafpool and Crowfeather actually leave and ignore Midnight's message about the badger attack in the book. This part of the chapter will focus on one of the sides, and we will focus on the side of love, where Leafpool and Crowfeather actually do leave and never come back. This will include the future of Lionblaze, Hollyleaf and Jayfeather, in which they will live with their families, away from the Clans.**

 _ **Let's start, shall we?**_

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 **Characters:**

 **Leafpool**

 **Crowfeather**

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The badger's words rung in Leafpool's head, echoing in her empty mind. Midnight's words where clear. There was going to be an attack on the Clans... On ThunderClan too. Leafpool's head spun as she staggered form the weight of the invisible words.

 _"Angry are my kin. Nothing else has there been but talk about cats that drive them out. Planning attack, are they."_ Midnight's words repeated in her head. _"Lived in peace, they had, until cats chase them out."_ Leafpool recounted the time when Squirrelflight came back from a mission to WindClan with Rainwhisker, Brambleclaw and Ashfur, and they told Firestar about the mother badger and her three cubs, and how she had fought to keep them safe from the cats, but she was eventually overpowered by the ThunderClan patrol, and was forced to flee from the battle. There was another case of badgers too, in RiverClan, where Brambleclaw's half brother, Hawkfrost, drove out a badger in the marshes.

"Leafpool. Leafpool, are you feeling dizzy?" she leaned on a familiar pelt, stark black against her brown tabby fur. Her mate, Crowfeather from WindClan, whom she recently ran away from the Clans with supported her as she swayed on her paws. "We travelled far today. We should rest. Follow me. I think I saw some ditch over there that we can rest in. There should be water to drink too. Come now." He soothed. Tired, Leafpool followed his dark pelt, which was starting to blend into the surrounding sky, which was growing dark quickly.

The pair arrived at a nearby ditch, which was sheltered from the moor's wind. Inside, the ditch contained a puddle of water, filled by rainfall, and Crowfeather, making a nest in a nearby cave. Determined to help out, she caught two mice, and laid them beside the completed nest that he had built. Quietly creeping in, she crounched and started eating her mouse. Enjoying the fresh and musky taste of the mouse, she didn't notice Crowfeather come into the den and curl beside her. As she finished eating, she heard him say, "How do you like it?" she stopped chewing and swallowed the remaining food before replying.

"You mean... running away from the Clans?" Crowfeather nodded. Leafpool set down the remains of her mouse and turned to look at the former WindClan cat. She met his amber gaze to hers. "Crowfeather. I know that we have many friends and family members in ThunderClan and WindClan, and you know how much my family means to me, especially Squirrelflight. But," she said as Crowfeather's ears started drooping from sadness, "you, Crowfeather, you... are my everything. Here, I am content, and that covers my sadness. I love you Crowfeather." Purring, she snuggled closer to Crowfeather, and both of them embraced, curling over each other. Leafpool looked up at her mate, "But, what should we do about the Clans?" Crowfeather sighed.

"I'm not sure, Leafpool. Sleep on it." he soothed to her, as his tail closed over her eyes. Blinking, she purred briefly and rested her head on his shoulders, passing out, with her mind in turmoil, torn between ThunderClan and her mate.

Morning sunlight filtered through the walls of the den, revealing and dappling Leafpool's tabby fur. Blinking, she looked up, thinking she was in the shadowy confines of the medicine cat den in ThunderClan. Panicking, she blinked rapidly, and saw that she was in a makeshift den, with no sign of her mate anywhere. Racing out of the den, she spotted a black cat stilling on a outcrop of a rock. "Crowfeather!" she called, and he turned, his amber eyes wide in surprise, and narrowing with relief. She purred as he met her. "Good morning, my Crow." He purred.

"Good morning, Blossom..." he replied as he wreathed around her. "So, what does your conscience tell you about what Midnight said?" Leafpool's empty mind started to generate what had happened the night before. Midnight's words were faint, but recognizable. _Angry are my kin. Nothing else has there been but talk about cats that drive them out. Planning attack, are they. L_ _ived in peace, they had, until cats chase them out."_ The she-cat saw an image in her head. A ginger she-cat was padding toward, followed by Brambleclaw and Ashfoot. "Squirrelflight! Brambleclaw?" she asked internally. Shaking her head, she swore to herself. All that was gone now, only she and Crowfeather were the only thing that mattered now. Somewhere, in StarClan, Leafpool's and Squirrelflight's bond broke, and the image slowly disappeared from Leafpool's mind. Blinking, and taking the portal back to reality, she blinked rapidly and told Crowfeather her answer. "I'm going to come with you."

 **(MANY MOONS LATER)**

"Push, Leafpool!" a gasp was released from Leafpool as a kit slid out. "Ah. That's the last one." a voice spoke out from the hazy surroundings of Leafpool's vision.

"Crowfeather? Is that you?" she called out weakly. A slim shape slid beside her and a familiar voice purred in her ear.

"I'm here." the black tom turned toward his son, a gray tabby tom, with blind blue eyes. "Thank you Jayfrost. you'll make a great medicine cat." Another black shape streak towards Leafpool.

"Are they here?" an excited voice asked, high with excitement.

"Hollyfall. Don't bother your mother, she is tired. But look, you have two more siblings!" Crowfeather scolded the black she-cat. A streak of yellow joined Hollyfall's. Her sibling, Lionheart, dashed toward his mother. "Stop right there Lionheart. Don't talk to your mother now. She needs to rest now." He murmured something into Leafpool's ear. "What should we name them? They're beautiful..." he trailed off. Leafpool weakly lifted her head and gaze at the two bundles of fluffy kits that were nestled in her belly. One was a bright ginger tom, with a pelt like flame, and had a white paw and ear. The other was a dainty silver tabby she cat with a dark grey tail tip.

"Blazekit... and...?" Leafpool trailed off.

"Softkit." Crowfeather soothed. Leafpool nodded. These two kits reminded of certain cats that she lived with. Dozing off, what she didn't realize, was that these two cats were the imitations of Squirrelflight and Feathertail.


	2. What If?: WindClan's Leader

**A.N: Hello, all of you! Thank you for your feedback on the first chapter of this book!**

 **Thank you to all of the reviews and comments in the previous chapter! It really helps me!**

 **Today's request is by Willowstorm of SkyClan (who writes a really good book called Tadpolefur's Struggle, check him out after this!) with the situation if Mudclaw became WindClan's leader.**

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 **What If #2 - What Happened if Mudclaw was named as WindClan's leader?**

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I"Firestar." Onewhisker whispered, nudging the ginger tom awake. "Tallstar wants to see you." Firestar blinked himself awake and hauled himself to his feet. Every muscle in him shrieked in protest, and the ginger warrior quietly grumbled to himself. In front of him, the amber tom was looking at him with some uncertainty, but they were both still good friends.

"Are you ready to go?" Onewhisker asked. Firestar nodded slowly, and followed Onewhisker out of the makeshift den he was sleeping in, which was a thorn bush. Together, the two toms padded side by side, into the clearing. Dawn was peeking over the hills of an unexplored territory, and Firestar squinted, his eyes closing to block out the bright sun.

Onewhisker entered a densely populated area of bushes, and in front of them, stretched out, was the weak WindClan leader, Tallstar. His faded amber eyes flickered to Firestar and Onewhisker as they entered. The medicine cat, Barkface nodded to Firestar and approached the two toms. "There's nothing I can do now. StarClan is waiting for him." Firestar nodded and crept cautiously to the dying leader.

"Tallstar. I'm here now." Tallstar's clouded eyes passed over him, and for a second, Firestar thought that he was thinking he was someone else. But when Tallstar's eyes flicked back to him, there was a burning intensity in them.

"Firestar," he rasped. "I have made a terrible mistake, I – "he started coughing, and his body convulsed with violent shakes. A bead of blood appeared at the corner of his lip. "Mudclaw… I believe now that he shouldn't be deputy. He is too bloodthirsty and impulsive. By the powers of StarClan- "Tallstar started, but was cut off by shivering. He gulped in air. "You're just like your father. You'll put things right again." He whispered. His eyes stared at Firestar and lost their color, clouding over.

Firestar stared in alarm. _What did he mean, like my father? I'll put things right again?!_ "Tallstar." He nudged the black and white leader, but he remained lifeless and limp. " _Tallstar. What do you mean?"_ The lifeless leader didn't reply, only just stare at him with baleful and faded eyes.

"It's no use now." A voice replied to his comment. Firestar swiveled around abruptly, and spotted Onewhisker padding toward him. The amber tom padded forward to sit next to the ThunderClan leader, and closed his former leader's eyes with his paw. The turned to face the ginger tom. "Tallstar hunts with StarClan now." Firestar hung his head.

"He was a good leader."

"We were proud of him." Onewhisker's whiskers twitched. "We should bring him outside now, for burial." The two toms, now joined by the medicine cat, Barkface, limped out of the clearing, watched by horrified cats and laid the WindClan's leader to rest on the dew soaked grass. Onnewhisker sat down next to Tallstar's body and pressed his nose to his cold fur. Several other cats appeared, with thir heads bowed in respect for the dead leader.

Sunhigh drew near, and almost all cats had emerged from their makeshift dens. Firestar leapt onto a tree trunk, and called out for all cats to draw near. "Cats of all Clans," he started, as the crowd gathered around. "Tallstar is dead." A wail sounded from the back of the group, but no cat turned to face that wail.

"He was a good leader." Leopardstar bowed her head, her eyes in shadow.

"Hmph. We all knew he wouldn't last that long." Blackstar grumbled, his white fur spiking against the cold wind. Lepoardstar shoved him, and his eyes narrowed. "Fine. He was a wise leader. This is a great loss to all of the Clans, not just for WindClan." He glared at Leopardstar in retaliation, growling.

"Tallstar, was great, but he will live forever in StarClan." Firestar finished. "Where is Mudclaw?" Firestar asked, as he looked for the mottled brown tom.

"Mudclaw is now our leader." Webfoot yowled out to the crowd. "Mudstar! Mudstar!" Webfoot's call was echoed throughout the crowd, with WindClan and RiverClan and even ShadowClan joined into the chant. Only ThunderClan's cats seemed reluctant to join. Immediately, a mottled brown tom slid out of the bushes near the tree-trunk.

"I am here." Mudclaw purred, his yellow eyes assessing the situation. "So. Tallstar is dead." He looked at Firestar balefully. "Mudstar." He meowed, savouring his name. Webfoot yowled to Mudclaw in favor.

"Mudstar! Mudstar! Mudstar!" The mottled brown tom lifted his head as he joined the leaders on the stump.

"WindClan is mine!" he purred.

Whatever future Mudclaw chose to lead WindClan into, it was dark. But there was no going back to the way things were at the start. If Onewhisker had been appointed in the place of Mudclaw, would things have turned out better?

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 **A.N: Sorry if this was really short. I had a bit of trouble with this one, thinking up the ending to this. The ending is in perspective of Firestar, and Windclan through Mudstar's bloody rule. (This is not taking account of when Onewhisker was appointed deputy.)**

 **Thank you all again! I'll see you next update!**


	3. What If?: The Survival of Swift-paw

**_A.N: Hello there again! This week's story of what could have been has been requested by Snowcrystal of ThunderClan, and is on the subject of 'What if, Swiftpaw lived, and not Brightheart?'_**

 ** _Review Answers:_**

 ** _\- Willowstorm of SkyClan: You are welcome! I'm looking forward to it!_**

 ** _\- Snowcrystal of ThunderClan: He is too proud for his own good, sometimes. That's what lead to his downfall in the future._**

 ** _\- A.H (Guest): Thank you! Those mistakes will be notes and corrected. Hopefully._**

 ** _Now, let's move on to Swiftpaw's story. (Sorry for the title, the word 'Swiftpaw' strangely wouldn't be put in..)_**

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"Are you sure, Swiftpaw?" A ginger and white apprentice approached him, her green eyes wide with concerned. "What are you planning?" The black and white apprentice spun around, his eyes wide and bristling, fur clumped out. Brightpaw flinched back at the fury in his eyes, and the intensity of rage and envy.

"It's not fair that Cloudtail became a warrior! Bluestar thinks we're dopey kits compared to him now!" he hissed, soring claw marks in the training hollow, once the two apprentices had left camp and took residence in the hollow. "Don't you agree, Brightpaw?" Brightpaw shuffled her paws on the sandy ground. "Don't you?" his voice seethed in rage.

"Sort of." The ginger apprentice agreed, still looking down onto the ground, her ears flattened to her head. "But, what are we supposed to do then? What are we supposed to prove to Bluestar that we can be warriors, not just Cloudtail?" The black and white apprentice flattened his ears to his head, his amber eyes narrowed in concentration as he tried to pick up an idea on how to become a warrior.

"I'm not- wait!" Swiftpaw perked up. "SnakeRocks!" he gasped. "We can protect the Clan from the terror!" Brightpaw flinched, her head then cocking to the side in curiosity. She didn't quite understand, Swiftpaw realized, as her body actions told him.

"What's the terror?" Brightpaw quaked. "I mean. Bluestar says it's a pack of dogs." Swiftpaw snorted. "What's the worst that can happen to us? Mauled by small terriers?" Brightpaw shook her head, surveying the ground in interest as the black and white apprentice continued on, as she was not listening.

"I don't think we should do this. It's far too risky. Just... just continue on with our training." She said, after he had finished ranting about the terror and what would lay ahead of them. "I mean. Swiftpaw," she breathed out, letting out something she was holding back. "Do you really think that we can do this? Just two apprentices? I doubt so. StarClan wouldn't suggest doing this anyway. We should just let the 'terror' work itself out." She turned her back to the tom, and started padding away.

"Wait!" Swiftpaw cried, racing after Brightpaw. "I've got something to show you!" he caught up to the ginger and white apprentice. "Follow me! I'll prove that the 'terror' isn't really dangerous." Brightpaw looked slightly disturbed at the fact that Swiftpaw was so eager to show her, but he was her best friend… Was he?

 _Later, during that same day…_

The two apprentices reached SnakeRocks, and they scouted they area together, their pelts brushing. Swiftpaw dashed out, his eyes wide. 'There's nothing here." Brightpaw nodded. A dark shape flashed at the edge of Brightpaw's vision as Swiftpaw padded back to the undergrowth of the forest. "Wait." The black and white tom stopped in his tracks, and not looking back to the ginger and white apprentice. Brightpaw flinched as the dark shape flashed again, moving with surprising swiftness. "Swiftpaw. There's something… watching us. Here. At SnakeRocks." The ginger and white apprentice bristled in fear, her eyes wide with anxiety. Swiftpaw stayed silent, his back still turned to Brightpaw.

"Are you sure?" the yellowed-eyed apprentice asked, turning back to Brightpaw. Brightpaw nodded, her blue eyes narrowed in anxiety. Her tail bristled.

"Does anyone know we are here?" the ginger and white apprentice asked Swiftpaw, her head cocked to the side in question. "Any warrior? Our mentors? Bluestar?" she listed the possibilities, but the black and white apprentice ignored her and watched the rocks with a high amount of suspicion. Another flash of black caught the apprentices' attention, and they both leapt in response, and faced the shape that had emerged into the clearing.

The shape was a small white and brown patched dog, half the size of Brightpaw, but the thing that caught their attention was the foam near the mouth, savagely bubbling in anger. Swiftpaw snorted. "Look at that tiny thing! Is that it? That can't be the 'terror' of the forest."

"But… Swiftpaw…" Brightpaw stuttered, her eyes wide in fear and tail bushed. "That-t can be the terror." She stuttered as behind the small dog, several other large shapes emerged, revealing more dogs, their large bodies bulky and strong. Muscles bulged under the skin, and they towered over the two, seemingly tiny apprentices.

"Swiftpaw!" Brightpaw cried, as he leapt towards the pack of dogs, her eyes wide in fear. "What are you doing?" The black and white tom didn't reply, his eyes furiously trained on the dogs, his legs bunched up, tensing to leap.

"I'm protecting the Clan, Brightpaw!" He screeched, as he tumbled into the dog pack, in a frenzy of hissing and clawing. Before he knew it, Swiftpaw started clawing everything he saw, dodging frenzied bites, and loud howling.

"I'm coming Swiftpaw!" the black and white apprentice saw Brightpaw leap into battle, sliding her claws out to claw the enemy dogs. Swiftpaw watched in satisfaction as his claws scored down dog flesh, claws drawing blood. Now with confidence, he bit into the flesh, sending a dog howling in pain. Suddenly, without any warning, sharp fangs bit down onto his right front-paw shoulder. Hard.

Swiftpaw yowled in pain as it drew blood. Now injured, the tom was weak, and vulnerable. Growling, the dogs leapt onto him, their blunt claws digging into his pelt, and flipping him over. Teeth bit into his stomach, splattering blood. His movements growing weak, and his eyesight fading, he watched himself being slowly being torn apart by the mutts that mauled him, and the ginger and white fur of Brightpaw flashing between then other dogs.

A long yowl came from Brightpaw as she was swung hard onto the rocks, with a sickening crack, she was let go, falling limp onto the rocks, blood coming in steady and small streams from under her. Her pelt was torn with multiple bite marks, and one of her back paws was at a very awkward angle, bone jutting out from under it. She gave a slight whimper, and looked at Swiftpaw. "We shouldn't h-have d-d-done this-s… T-the t-t-terror is-s real-l." She her body gave a slight shake. "I... I s-see St-tarClan c-coming." Her eyes turned milky. "I… I'll s-see you t-there."

"Brightpaw… No…" he whimpered as he watched his best friend twitch slightly and her eyes fade and a small river of scarlet blood erupted from the tip of her bottom lip. Brightpaw, was now gone. Hunting with StarClan. _I… I shouldn't have suggested this. This got her killed. And… probably me too. She told me… not to do this… but… I – I just had to ignore her… Didn't I?_ Swiftpaw watched as the dog above him bared his teeth, and snapped its jaws, turning the world black as the darkest night that Swiftpaw knew.

Through a hazy darkness, Swiftpaw lay, all of his body aching from unseen cuts, and ailments. Yet, out of the dark, misty blackness, a sound of growling chanted louder, and bright, berry shaped eyes peered at him savagely, drawing closer to the still apprentice. "Help me..." he whispered, as the eyes hovered above him. A chant growled, flowing from the eyes above him.

"Pack, Pack, Kill, Kill." The eyes chanted. Slowly, more eyes circled around him, appearing through the darkness, narrowed and observant, seemingly preying on the small apprentice. Swiftpaw whimpered, a mix of fear and pain, as the eyes bore down on him, a variety of different colors, blue and amber, even a red pair. "Pack, pack. Kill, kill." They chanted louder and louder.

 _Is StarClan testing me? Am I to be punished because of my plan to attack the dogs?_ Swiftpaw thought, his eyes closing, and his head swirling with thoughts that raged in his head. _Is it because I led Brightpaw to her death? Am I stuck here forever?_ The black and white apprentice listened to the eyes chant in inky darkness, growing louder and louder, as in a spell. He flattened his ears, and hissed as they grew louder, and louder, until, he cried.

"STOP!" Swiftpaw opened his eyes, sitting up rapidly. _Ow._ He moved, and his body ached from strained muscles. He gazed around at his surroundings, recognizing the medicine cat den, with its pungent herb smell, hinted with the small, sweet scent of honey. He turned around to examine himself, and found that his back was covered in multiple cobwebs, with healing cuts under them. His whiskers and ears twitched. At least, those had survived.

Spotting a pool of water nearby, he dragged himself there, ignoring his muscles shrieking under the strain. Gasping in relief as he gazed in his reflection, his face was mostly unharmed, the only ailment was a cut to the bridge of his nose. Swiftpaw's amber eyes grew wide as a grey she-cat stumbled into the medicine cat den, her blue eyes slanted with exhaustion.

"Cinderpelt!" Swiftpaw mewed, trying to stand up on his legs. As he struggled up, Cinderpelt caught him, and made him sit back down. "How long have I been out?" Swiftpaw mewed, as Cinderpelt finished checking over him. The grey she-cat gazed at him thoughtfully.

"You've… well, you have been unconscious for approximately… 5 sunrises and sunsets." Swiftpaw stared at the medicine cat in shock. "Fireheart's patrol found you at SnakeRocks when all of the Clan had noticed that you had gone missing, as well as… Brightpaw." Cinderpelt informed him. By the look of Cinderpelt's face, at the mention of Brightpaw's name, he knew the answer to his next question.

"What… What happened to B-brightpaw?" he stuttered. Cinderpelt shook her head in grief. "Her body was found, along with mine, wasn't it?" Cinderpelt nodded. He stared down at his paws. "I- l sent her to die… She knew that it was wrong, and tried to convince me, but… I… I didn't listen." Swiftpaw murmured, his eyes dull with grief. Cinderpelt laid her tail on his shoulder as he stared into the shadows of the medicine den.

 _Two moons later…_

"By the power of StarClan, Swiftpaw, you are now known as Swiftstrike, for your bravery and courage." A ginger tom rumbled, his green eyes glowing. The newly heralded leader had become leader after Bluestar had died, drowning in a river which flowed swiftly through the gorge, protecting the Clan from the same dogs that had killed Brightpaw, almost killing Swiftstrike, too.

The black and white tom lowered his head in graciousness, and licked his leader's shoulder. "Thank you, Firestar." He gazed up at the leader that stood before him, with his deputy beside him, Graystripe. The ginger tom chuckled.

"You deserve it. Now, go. Prepare for your vigil."

 _That night…_

Swiftstrike stared into the darkness of the ThunderClan camp, please with himself of his own outcome of becoming a warrior. Focusing his concentration to the stars above him, flashbacks of the past three moons caught back up to him, filling his mind with turmoil and horror. He hissed, looking back at the ground, and scuffling his paws in the dirt. "Brightpaw… You should be here with me." He mourned.

"Swiftstrike… I'm always here with you." A whispering voice echoed in his head. Before him, stood a familiar ginger and white patched she-cat, her eyes bright with stars, her fur shining with silver starlight, frosty and clear. She bore no scars that she had received moons ago, and her soft steps made hardly a sound as she padded closer to the black and white tom.

"Oh, Brightpaw. There's not a day without me thinking about you. I'm sorry I dragged you into that, and that… that action, it… it killed you." Swiftstrike gazed into Brightpaw's clear blue eyes, his own bright and sparkling with unsaid, deep, grief. Brightpaw swept her tail to Swiftstrike's mouth, hushing him.

"It's not your fault. I ultimately agreed to it, and decided to participate. That's what killed me. Don't blame yourself." Brightpaw mewed, her eyes focused on Swiftstrike. "I'll always be with you, Swiftstrike. Always. That's what best friends do, right?" A wind picked up, and she was slowly swept with it, and eventually disappeared into a streak of silvery starlight at spiraled up to the stars.

Swiftstarike sighed. A voice whispered in his ear, and his heart broke.

 _Remember me, Swiftstrike, and I will always be there…_

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 ** _A.N:_ Here's a long one! It's sad, isn't it? I always wondered what Swiftpaw's warrior name would be, and here was my version! Unfortunately, my other story, 'The Broken Ritual' won't update, but you can still read it!**

 **Thanks everyone! Let's try to hit 15 reviews!**

 **Bye!**

 **\- ASoBS**


	4. NOTICE - Please Read

Heyo, my dear readers!

ASoBS here, and I have announcement.

I believe that you readers have read most of my books, right, and currently, I have 4 books. I think.

I am currently working hard on two of the books, One More Chance, and What if?

These two books will update weekly, and the others will be put on hiatus, as I feel I need to focus on certain books that I enjoy writing. But, not to fret, I will still continue the other to books, The Broken Ritual and Split Stars, when I feel like it.

Thank you for understanding!

\- A Sky of Blazing Stars


	5. What If?: Spottedleaf's Life - P1

**What If - Chapter Four**

Story - What if Spottedleaf wasn't killed by Clawface? (Requested by Shadowdapple of ThunderClan)

A tortoiseshell heaved a breath, and lunged at her attacker, hissing fiercely. Her attacker, a heavily scarred brown tom, hissed back at her, his amber eyes gleaming with hatred and fury. The tom snapped at her, and she flinched away as the tom's teeth snapped in the air, where the she-cat's ears were a second before. Growling in surprise, he was too slow in avoiding a sharp nip on his hind leg. She ducked away as he tried to claw her, but her fur caught on his claws. He pulled her in, and gave her a vicious swipe, on her flanks. She screeched in pain, alerting some of her Clanmates, but she remained alone. The tom, now on the edge of panic, lunged at her throat, meeting her soft flesh. She screamed, hard, as he bit down deeply into her throat, and stood over her.

Her eyesight was fading. She watched helplessly, as the tom picked up what he came here for, and scampered towards the ThunderClan entrance. But as she vaguely watched, a dark tabby tom, also scarred, leapt on the intruder, snarling.

Meanwhile, a bright ginger tom approached the dying she-cat, his green eyes sparking in concern. He motioned for a scruffy dark-grey she-cat to join him, and the pair looked at the tortoiseshell, one with a calculating gaze, and one that was filled with regrets and sadness. The tortoiseshell gasped in pain as the pair carried her into what seemed to be a cleft in a rock, but before she reached the rock, her eyesight faded completely, and she blacked out.

The tortoiseshell remained in the dark, for what seemed like an eternity. She lay, in the abyss, witnessing many visions. _Fire will save the Clan._ A voice whispered in her head, and her fur brushed up, bristling as she listened. _Turn to the fire and seek it's warmth. Only then, ThunderClan will be saved. Yet with a fire's warmth, comes it's intensity. Beware the one with the burning ambition._ She shivered, and blinking, she watched in the darkness as white claws flash at the edge of the vision, and a roaring of fire, starting out gently, giving her warmth and life, but it gained intensity, ultimately scorching her fur. She gasped, feeling the flames burning her throat, and flanks. She panted, and the fire died down, only to be replaced with a deafening silence. Before she slipped into unconsciousness again, a silvery silhouette of a cat formed right in front of her, starry eyes watching her. It dipped his head, touching her head with it's nose, and a cool sensation passed through her, healing the burns. She blinked gratefully as the cat disappeared and she slipped into rest. _You are the key to the fire…_

She blinked her eyes open, and a yawned, wincing at the pain in her neck, and sniffed the air, recognising the familiar scent of herbs in the medicine dat den. Shifting her body to examine her wounds, she observed approvingly as she recognised goldenrod, marigold and oak leaf, wrapped up in cobweb to hold them tight. Trying now to sit up, she realised that she was weak, and that her belly growled, ravenous.

"Having trouble?" A voice mewed from the entrance of the cave, where sunlight stream from. She turned to see a ginger tom, with green eyes, the same one that helped carry her to the den.

"F-firepaw." She stuttered, her amber eyes wide. The ginger tom nodded.

"Yellowfang assumed the worse. She didn't expect you to survive." His eyes gleamed, but in a way that Spottedleaf didn't recognise. _Not anger, not malice… Well, at least, not like Tigerclaw…_ She thought, puzzled. He padded towards her, and wrapped himself around her, tail flicking slowly. Ginger and tortoiseshell fur brushed together as the two cats curled contentedly together.

"Are you… feeling…?" Firepaw asked, his green eyes glowing. Spottedleaf nodded, and her amber eyes were lit with warmth. She purred, and curled tighter around Firepaw, who nuzzled her affectionately.

"I… I've realised something." He turned to look at Spottedleaf as he was leaving a while later. She tipped her head questioningly.

"What is it? Did you injure yourself?" Firepaw shook his head.

"I've realised, Spottedleaf, that I… lo-like you." he stuttered, and he looked her full in the eyes. "I am injured. My heart has a crack in it, and it nearly broke because of your injury. Please, for my sake Spottedleaf, heal my heart, and don't try to do anything like that again." And before Spottedleaf could respond, he bounded out of the medicine cat den, leaving only his scent behind.

"Huh, I'm not surprised that he confessed that to you." A raspy voice echoed from the den entrance, and a broad grey, scarred face appeared at the entrance, with piercing amber eyes surveilling Spottedleaf. Spottedleaf flattened her ears back in surprise.

"Yellowfang! How much did you hear of the conversation?" she asked, hesitantly. Yellowfang chuckled.

"All of it, and I'm not surprised to hear him say that. It's good to have you back. Let me change your dressings." The grey she-cat squeezed into the den, and sniffed Spottedleaf approvingly. "Good, they're healing well. No sign of infection too." She pawed the old webbing off Spottedleaf, and gripped it in her teeth.

"What do you mean, 'you're not surprised?'. Did you know about it?" Spottedleaf asked Yellowfang in confusion. Yellowfang spat out the webs and started mixing in more medicinal herbs. She looked up, amber eyes gleaming.

"Ever since he first saw you, I knew that he had a thing for you. He also told me, how much he liked you, even almost loved you, in the days that you were unconscious. I have a feeling that his emotions will get the better of him, and make him break the warrior code, in order for him to have you as a mate. But hey, I'm just saying this. Don't mind me, I'm just a medicine cat, speculating my own thoughts." The tortoiseshell she-cat stared in shock.

 _Firepaw lo-likes me? It's… It's not right to have this feeling, isn't it?_

"Try not to get too distracted." The former ShadowClan medicine cat's voice broke through her thoughts, startling her. "You've still got your duties, but keep this in your mind. Everyone has their secrets." The older medicine cat addressed her. "Now, keep still!" she chided. "Let me check your wounds!"

When Spottedleaf emerged from the den, the whole Clan greeted her, but when Tigerclaw approached her, she turned suspicious. He was acting strangely, as if her was trying to woo her over. "It's good to see you out here now." he mewed. "I was concerned about you." Spottedleaf narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"What are you planning, Tigerclaw. I see know something is up when I see it." Spottedleaf mewed. Tigerclaw sighed.

"Okay, you've got me." He pulled her aside. "I'm wanting to take ThunderClan by myself, along with Darkstripe. What do you say? A Clan is nothing with it's medicine cat." Spottedleaf realised that the prophecy was true. It was her decision to make, and either fire would consume her, as well as the other fire.

Only then, she realised who, or what the fire was. One was the warmth, also known as Firepaw, who had this love for her. Tigerclaw symbolised the intensity, and his rage and desire for ThunderClan.

Spottedleaf pulled back, shocked at Tigerclaw's suggestion. "Why do you want to do this?" Spottedleaf hissed, ears flat. Tigerclaw chuckled.

"Don't you see, Bluestar is a senile, old fool of a leader. She'd die soon. You and I know it's her last life soon, isn't it, dear?" Spottedleaf flinched as Tigerclaw continued. "She's die soon, and I'll feel her blood on my claws. ThunderClan will be at my mercy. So, will you be on my side, my medicine cat to help me, or, get crushed with the rest of your Clan, with that puny apprentice, _Firepaw_?" Spottedleaf gasped at the hate in his voice.

 _You'll be the key to the fire…_ The starry cat had said, and she blinked, her eyes briefly filled with starlight.

 _She made her decision._

"Bluestar. I have to talk to you." Spottedleaf padded into the den that Bluestar lived in. The silver-tipped leader looked at her with curiosity in her eyes.

"What is it, Spottedleaf? Did you have something important? I have to go soon, Firepaw's waiting." The tortoiseshell flattened her ears and leaned closer to Bluestar. She then told her everything that she had heard.

Tigerclaw and Darkstripe were banished from the Clans that very same day.

* * *

 **ASoBs Says:**

 **Hey guys! Great hearing from all of you, and how you like the last update! Just a reminder, this is only Part One to this one-shot! Stay tuned to know what happens next!**

 **Review Corner:**

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